Japanese lantern clock on pyramidal stand
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
c1700
This Japanese striking lantern clock, dated to circa 1700, is mounted atop a tall black-lacquered pyramidal base. Known as a Yagura-Dokei, the timepiece features a steel movement governed by a single oscillating foliot with adjustable weights and rope drive.
Its engraved silvered brass case panels house a fixed lacquer dial with a revolving hand, surmounted by an openwork foliot assembly and a bell. The accompanying lacquer base is decorated with mother-of-pearl inlays depicting birds, flowering branches, and an inscribed Chinese poem, having been married to the clock by J. Drummond Robertson in the 1930s.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Lantern clock / yagura-dokei
- Movement type
- Steel movement with single foliot
- Case materials
- Silvered brass, black lacquer, and mother-of-pearl
- Overall height
- 1.44 metres
- Place recorded
- Japan
- Stand association
- Married to the clock in the 1930s
Design
- Visible features
- • Bell positioned at the top above the exposed foliot bar and weights • Silvered rectangular metal case with circular dial and single central pointer • Pyramidal black lacquer stand adorned with inlaid calligraphy and flowering branch motifs in mother-of-pearl
- Horological Context
- The clock utilizes a striking mechanism on a bell. The source notes that while these clocks were called Yagura-Dokei, they retained a 1-12 striking sequence which differed from the Japanese temporal system of the time. The system divided day and night into six 'toki' each, necessitating frequent manual adjustments to the foliot weights to account for seasonal variations in day length. It is suggested that due to the impracticality of constant manual calibration, such clocks in feudal Japan likely functioned as expensive curiosities rather than strictly utilitarian timekeeping instruments.
- Provenance and Assembly
- The clock and its pyramidal base were combined by J. Drummond Robertson in the 1930s. Although the base is contemporary to the period of the clock, this was a subsequent pairing. The piece was later part of the Ilbert Collection and was acquired by the British Museum in 1958 via a donation from Gilbert Edgar. The clock front features four chrysanthemum motifs, which are noted as an indication that the clock may have originally been an imperial piece.
- Object Description and Composition
- This object, categorized as a Yagura-Dokei (tower clock), dates to approximately 1700. It consists of a lantern-style clock with a steel movement, a rope-drive mechanism, and a single foliot with adjustable weights. The case is constructed of silvered brass panels featuring an engraved design, with a fixed lacquer dial and a revolving hand. The clock is mounted on a black-lacquered pyramidal stand, which is inlaid with mother-of-pearl in patterns of birds and flowering branches. The stand also features an inscription: 'In place of an expected pot, this present instrument will give the hour & division, correctly presenting heaven's word.'
Identification
- Reference
- 1958,1006.2165
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The pyramidal stand was married to the clock in the 1930s by J. Drummond Robertson rather than originally paired
- Research required: Internal movement gearing and rope-drive mechanism are enclosed and not visible in the exterior photos